Our aging bodies, ourselves

This introspective chapter reflects on the paradoxical place aging women occupy in society, as in our field. Social tendencies show a progressive leap regarding awareness and inclusion, accompanied by a backlash of politicization, institutional setbacks, and continued market specialization and fragmentation. In the consumption and marketing discipline, ‘senior’ women (sic) have made substantial gains as journal editors, presidents of academic associations, deans, and department heads, yet research on gender remains scarce in our mainstream journals. The scope of this chapter is selective, in providing an overview of theoretical approaches and topics regarding aging women that include history, demographics, abilities, subjectivities, and institutions, with consideration of intersectionalities of race/ethnicity and class. The game plan is consciousness-raising in sprinkling academic work with insights drawn from creative writing, media, film, and market practice. Discussion of trends and future opportunities for research and practice concerning aging women concludes the chapter.